Re: [htdig] next 3.1.x release (was: Question about weighting)

[Joe R. J. <jj...@cl...>]

On Tue, 19 Mar 2002, Gilles Detillieux wrote:

> Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 16:57:05 -0600 (CST)
> From: Gilles Detillieux <gr...@sc...>
> To: jj...@cl...
> Cc: "ht://Dig list" <htd...@li...>
> Subject: Re: [htdig] next 3.1.x release (was: Question about weighting)
> 
> According to Joe R. Jah:
> > On Thu, 21 Feb 2002, Gilles Detillieux wrote:
> > > Back in July we discussed possible ways of configuring this, but none
> > > of that ever made it into 3.1.6.  It occurred to me that we could have a
> > > "location_factor" which would default to 1000, and words would be ranked
> > > from that factor at the start of the document, down to 1 at the end,
> > > multiplied by the appropriate scoring factor for the type of word in
> > > question.  To make location irrelevant, you'd just set location_factor to
> > > 1 and all word scores would be multiplied by 1 regardless of location,
> > > so only the other scoring factors would have any effect.  I think this
> > > would be more intuitive and manageable than the last_word_factor we
> > > discussed back in July, which wouldn't change the builtin factor of 1000
> > > for first words.  Maybe you can nag me about this if/when Geoff and I
> > > commit to a 3.1.7 release.      ^^^               ^^
> > 
> > What do you mean if?  Back on February 7 you wrote:
> > -----------------------------------8<-----------------------------------
> > I think the wise course of action at this point would be to wait a month
> > or so until the bug reports slow to a trickle, then put together a 3.1.7
> > release that will be strictly simple, well tested bug fixes and no new
> > features. 
> > -----------------------------------8<-----------------------------------
> > 
> > I think the wise course of action at THIS point is not to wait any longer
> > than necessary to put together a 3.1.7 release.  Other commitments and
> > business may take over your time, leaving htdig in limbo indefinitely;(
> 
> So what are you suggesting, Joe?  That I shouldn't give priority to
> "other commitments and business" (i.e. the work I'm actually paid to do)
> over the time I spend free of charge on maintaining htdig?  That's not
> your call to make.  It's also not my call how Geoff spends his time.

I merely suggested that there are other priorities and unforeseen events in
our lives, that increase uncertainty.

> The fact is, putting together a 3.1.7 release would take a lot of my time
> and Geoff's.  I'm not going to commit to it unless Geoff is also willing,
> so it is still an "if".

I believe both of you are too committed to htdig project to leave it in
limbo, so it is a "when" (nag nag;^) 

> The recommendation I made in early February still stands.  I still
> think it's a wise course of action.  That doesn't mean I've committed
> my time or Geoff's to it, and it doesn't mean I have a firm schedule
> in mind.  In fact, it's still a month *or so* since I wrote that,
> and bug reports are still coming in.  (We just nailed one down last
> Friday, if you recall.)  There are still coding decisions to be made,
> like how to handle use_doc_date effectively, rather than the kludge
> we have now.  I'm not about to rush out another half-baked release,
> only to have to fix it up in a later 3.1.8 release.  The 3.1.7 code
> is very solid, and only the new features have some problems with them.
> Nothing that can't be worked around by anyone who's determined enough.
> There's no big emergency here.

No argument here.

Regards,

Joe
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